METHOD FOR INCREASING THE CONTENT OF DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID IN MATERIAL CONTAINING OIL-AND-FAT OR OIL-AND-FAT

摘要

[PROBLEMS] To provide an oil-and-fat having an increased docosahexaenoic acid content. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Disclosed are: a method for producing a highly unsaturated fatty acid, which is characterized by culturing a stramenopile capable of producing the highly unsaturated fatty acid in a culture medium containing a substance which inhibits a fatty acid desaturase; a highly unsaturated fatty acid, particularly an oil-and-fat having an increased docosahexaenoic acid content, which is produced by the method; a method for enhancing the ability of producing a highly unsaturated fatty acid of a stramenopile, which is characterized by culturing the stramenopile in a culture medium containing a substance which inhibits a fatty acid desaturase; and a stramenopile having an enhanced ability of producing a highly unsaturated fatty acid, which is produced by the method. Particularly, in the method for producing the highly unsaturated fatty acid, the method for enhancing the ability of producing the highly unsaturated fatty acid, and the stramenopile having an enhanced ability of producing the highly unsaturated fatty acid, the stramenopile may be a microorganism belonging to the class Labyrinthulomycetes.